Breaking The Mold
by derpsquid
Summary: How do you reveal the soft side of a stoic tactician? You don't. You earn the right to see it. Now have a look at how Lucina does it. RobinxLucina
1. C

**A/N: Hey guys! This is another short shipping story with, of course, my OTP. However, there's a twist; this avatar has largely different personality traits to spice up things a bit. It's still Robin, though, so no OC's.**

**Hope you enjoy this twist on the story!**

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><p>In the Shepherd army, there was a mix of all sorts of people. Funny people, serious people, and many others. Most could talk with and have a normal conversation with another without issues. There was, however, one person that nobody dared approach for casual talk. A person that unnerved even Tharja, the epitome of unnerving.<p>

Robin himself.

There was no denying Robin's incredible ability to lead the army into battle, securing many an important victory, whatever the cost, but never at the cost of a life. With all this said, one would wonder why he was so difficult to approach.

Simply put, Robin was a very solitary and stoic person. Nothing ever seemed to change his general attitude, which while not negative, still wasn't the generally socially involved demeanor of most of the army. Always a loner.

Out of battle, there were many attempts to change him, if even a little. Invitations to small hangouts, causal walks, dinners...nothing casual moved Robin, only important things did, making Chrom the only person he consistently trusted to request an audience with. At this point, nobody bothered to try and involve him. Except for one brave soul: Lucina.

Lucina, despite knowing that Robin was virtually unbreakable, wanted to try her hand at doing so; she had been paying attention to him since the very beginning, eventually finding out that despite his cold, yet not rude, attitude towards most, that he had a soft side. She didn't exactly know for what, but he had one. The point was to uncover it.

Lucina walked towards that lone tent one night, praying to Naga that she'd manage at least to catch Robin off guard. At the same time, knowing that she brought some papers from Chrom was instrumental to her plan's success and gave her a lot more peace in the matter. Her thoughts vanished when she finally stood in front of the tent, the lit torches outside meaning that he was in, and awake. Taking a deep breath, Lucina called for him.

"Robin? May I enter?" she asked.

Nothing, at least for a few seconds.

"Please, come in." said Robin.

Another deep breath escaped Lucina before she entered his tent. Everything was well organized, with Robin seated, facing the entrance, his eyes locked on her face as she entered the tent and stood there, nervous.

"Do you need anything, Lucina?" he asked.

Lucina was blocking herself for a moment, unsure of what to say, being locked down by Robin's soul piercing stare.

"I...brought you some papers from Chrom. He sent me to deliver them to you." she said, nervously.

Robin quickly noticed that Lucina was practically dying on the inside, regardless of how effective the facade was. The simple act of being in his presence unnerved practically everyone, but to him, Lucina's attempted masking of it looked...admirable. Almost cute.

"You look nervous, Lucina. Is there something you want to say?" he asked.

"N-no, Robin..." she said, giving him the papers. "I just understand why people have trouble talking to you normally now."

Lucina turned around, ready to leave.

"Lucina, wait."

The request just stopped Lucina from leaving. She turned around to face Robin, now looking doubtful.

"Do I frighten you, Lucina?" he asked.

"No, you don't. I've seen much worse. But your efficiency in combat...it's almost surreal. I'd willingly ask to be assigned with you again just to feel safe. But the same stoic efficiency you have in battle also comes here...and that's what puts me off." explained Lucina.

"Then if you don't fear me, what makes you nervous?" asked Robin. "It doesn't add up."

"It's just the picture that's been painted of you that unnerves me." said Lucina. "I'd honestly like to see a different you. Someone more open."

Robin stayed silent for a moment. For once, someone was wiling to express their thoughts on him. But not the way he imagined it; he swore that the first to tell him would be Chrom. But it was his daughter instead.

"You just might get your wish, Lucina." he said. "That's all I wanted to ask, then. You're free to go."

Without a word, Lucina turned and exited the tent as he asked, leaving Robin with the papers delivered to him. Shaking the immediate thoughts off of him, Robin turned back to his desk and began sorting through them.

"Total gold, weapon requests, reports of Risen, and-wait. What the hell...?"

A single piece of paper at the very bottom of the pile, not attached to anything else, and it didn't look like any of the other documents. Pulling it out, it brought a look of surprise to Robin's face. A rather detailed, colorless sketch, showing what looked like an artist's rendition of himself, posed with a Levin Sword and a tome...back to back with Lucina.

A flurry of thoughts came to him as he began putting everything back in place so he could turn in. Lucina didn't strike him as an artist, so someone else made it for her. The question was who and why. And more importantly, if there was anything else in store for surprises. These questions followed him to bed, only vanishing once he drifted to sleep.

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><p>As the early morning came to be, Robin felt something disturbing him in his sleep. Something was rather close to him. The feeling woke him from his slumber getting him curious.<p>

It didn't feel like an object, but whatever it was, it felt very close. Directly behind him. Still somewhat drowsy, Robin slowly turned to look behind himself to see just what had awoken him.

He lightly jumped when he saw what it was. Or rather, who.

"Lucina?!" he thought to himself. "What are YOU doing here, next to me?!"

The sight of her face, now not blurred since the revelation jolted Robin, and by extension his senses, awake, brought an inquiry to his mind. He could, under the limited light of the night, see her very noticeable frown. Her face in general just screamed sadness. The question was, why?

"It's my question, I'll find out." thought Robin.

Slowly edging out of bed so as to not wake her, Robin quietly stood up and went to a stack of tomes close by. He felt around until he found one specific tome, always placed at the bottom given the rarity of its usage.

"Mind Monologue" thought Robin. "Last time I used this, it was to look at my own memories. And now, it's use shall be to see into a dream."

Robin sat on a chair and began tracing a path on the page with a finger, knowing that the primary method of activation was risky to use given that it made use of a voiced incantation. Once the path was traced, a flash of light blinded Robin, taking him into the unconscious mind of his unexpected guest...

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><p><em>Robin regained his sight within moments, finding himself in the middle of Ylisstol. Something, however, was wrong. It wasn't the populous and bright Ylisstol that he knew.<em>

_The whole city was on fire. People were running around everywhere, screaming for their lives, being pursued by Risen, who were also locked in combat with the soldiers._

_"My god...I have to find Lucina, now. Who knows what she's dreaming about..." said Robin to himself._

_Robin walked across the town, towards the palace, amongst the hordes of people, soldiers and Risen interacting with each other. As a blue phantom, Robin was invisible to everyone except the dreamer, so he could roam around without overly worrying about getting involved in combat._

_Reaching the palace, he saw that the gates were battered and broken as he walked up the steps, Risen and human bodies littered everywhere. Entering, Robin witnessed the conflict between human and Risen raging on as it did outside. Both sides were suffering casualties, but the Risen had a nigh infinite number of units to spare to their advantage. Looking around, Robin finally spotted Lucina, fighting valiantly against Risen, just having bisected one from the middle._

_"Lucina!" he yelled. Nothing. His voice was not unlike an ant fighting the sun in terms of volume, being drowned out by the screams of enemies and allies alike. He began walking closer to her, now understanding the source of her frightened expression on the outside. Once he was a few steps away from her constantly moving position, Robin yelled a second time._

_"Lucina, over here!-"_

_His call for her attention was interrupted by a massive collision into the castle walls, leaving everyone scattered amongst the massive dust cloud. While Robin wasn't affected the dust or the collision itself, it still blocked his vision, leaving him in the dark for a few moments. When the dust settled, Robin looked around frantically for Lucina, concerned for her condition. He spotted her standing above some rubble, pointing the Falchion at something...something huge. In front of her stood the enormous, imposing and frightening Fell Dragon, Grima. The beast expanded it's wings as it rose above the wreckage it caused, revealing it's multi-horned face and multiple red eyes. Robin himself was stunned by what they both saw. She was dreaming the end of the world._

_"This is only the beginning! I will start a bigger fire, and watch it rise through your world!" said an ominous, evil voice. It came from Grima itself, who was now looking down on the one remaining soldier standing ground, Lucina herself. Robin grew increasingly worried despite it only being a dream, because with the possibility of failing to prevent Grima from awakening, it certainly felt real._

_"Lucina!" yelled Robin. "Get out of there!"_

_She didn't hear him, her attention focused squarely on the demon that stood before her. Robin immediately began rushing towards her, hoping that he could snap her out of it before something worse happened._

_"Your mother, and father are dead, young one." said Grima. "Now it is time for you...to die!"_

_Grima lunged at Lucina with its maw open, intent on killing her, all while she screamed almost helplessly._

_"Lucina!" yelled Robin, one last time, right before the same flash of light blinded him again, forcing him out of the dream._

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><p>Robin came back to his body, sweating heavily as he dropped to his knees, hands on the ground. He couldn't believe what he just saw, considering that Lucina had been able to maintain a fairly balanced, if mostly serious, demeanor. He couldn't even tell if she dreamt of a memory or a completely new type of nightmare. Considering her future, he was inclined to believe it was the former.<p>

Finally back to reality, Robin slowly stood up, figuring that he might as well start the day already.

"No!"

A an unexpected scream from Lucina caught him completely off guard. She bolted from her sleeping position to a sitting one, breathing heavily, given that she had just bore bigger witness to what Robin had just seen as well.

Tears began forming in her eyes as she remembered every vivid detail of the dream. How real it felt. She couldn't stand it. She curled into a ball on the ground she slept on and laid her head on her knees, still sobbing.

Robin felt quite sad seeing Lucina completely broken down like that, a feat that hadn't been accomplished since Emmeryn died. He wanted to do something for her...but the consequences if he were seen doing that would be huge.

Ignoring his fears, he walked to Lucina, kneeled down behind her, and hugged her in an attempt to calm her down. He didn't know the first thing about counsel, but he had to try.

"Listen to me, Lucina. You're okay. Nothing's going to harm you." he said. "It was all just a dream."

Lucina trembled less when hearing Robin's words. She came in the middle of the night to escape a nightmare, but also fearing Robin's possible reaction, and here he was, the stoic and emotionally tough tactician, giving her counsel. It felt unreal.

"T-thank y-you..." she said, weakly.

Robin continued to hold her and made a small pledge to do so until her tears had vanished. At least it would be done peacefully.

"Hey, what seems to be the problem, I heard a loud-"

Unexpectedly, Laurent stumbled upon them. A surge of awkwardness overcame both Robin and Laurent, as Lucina was still recovering from her trauma and not paying attention. Luckily, Robin knew how to drive Laurent away.

"Um, what is this?" asked Laurent.

Robin quickly grabbed a Levin Sword that was close to him and pointed it at Laurent.

"Laurent, listen to me very carefully. Turn around and leave. Pretend you never saw anything. If I realize that a single word escapes you about this, I'll get quite mad. Are we clear?" said Robin.

Laurent took a step back, intimidated.

"Alright, alright!" he said, clearly surprised by Robin's reaction. "Nothing happened, no sir..."

Laurent turned and left, leaving Robin to continue giving counsel to Lucina. Surprisingly, she had stopped crying and had managed to doze off again in the process. Relieved, Robin gently laid her on the floor to not interrupt her newfound nap and covered her with the blanket she brought. A smile formed on his face as he saw her at peace, leaving him in a good state of mind to leave the tent.

"This isn't over." he thought to himself. "It might be the start of something new...something unexpected...something...wonderful."

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><p><strong>End Chapter Notes: I know you're probably going to jump on me for introducing sort of heavy trauma in the very first chapter, but I had to start with something. Hopefully this different type of Robin I've created doesn't put off too many readers. Like my previous story(Comforting Comforter), this will follow four chapters as a support conversation of sorts.<strong>

**Please leave a comment! Everything is taken into account.**


	2. B

**A/N: I'm surprised that there was a massive surge of follows/favs but no reviews. Usually it's rather slow with those things. I wonder if the story was really that interesting this time around...**

**Don't worry, the trauma is absent here. Just some more interaction. Enjoy!**

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><p>After that small incident a few days ago, time transpired without any new developments coming to pass, with Lucina not even bringing up the subject herself. The only thing new was Lucina personally requesting she be paired with Robin in battle, but nothing beyond that. It all seemed like it was back to normal.<p>

Of course, given Robin's prediction, fate apparently wanted to change.

During the late afternoon one day, Robin found himself alone in his tent as usual, tending to his notes. He never found it boring; in fact, the solitude was a boon more than bane for him. But, he always had to expect visitors. Like now, for instance.

"Robin, it's Chrom. May I pass?" called a voice.

Robin stopped what he was doing, turning to face the entrance. "Please, come in, Chrom." he said.

Chrom stepped in the tent, dragging a second chair that was inside so he could sit down on equal footing with Robin. He looked uneasy, to say the least.

"Robin...we need to talk." he said.

Robin let out a sigh. "Is this about the remaining future children, Chrom? Because I'm working on that." he said.

"What? No!" said Chrom. "Just...ugh. This isn't about the future children, despite my admittedly big persistence on the matter...but ironically, you were almost right."

"How so, Chrom?" asked Robin.

Chrom let out a sigh.

"I'm here to talk about Lucina." he said.

Robin raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Go on." he said.

"Laurent told me that he found you hugging what he described to me as a "crying Lucina" in your tent a few days ago. Would you care to explain that before I make my own theories?"

Robin let out a sigh of his own.

"That kid wasn't going to keep quiet about that, was he?" thought Robin to himself. "Alright, Chrom. But there's nothing hidden to it, I assure you." he said aloud.

"Just get on with it." said Chrom.

Robin took a deep breath, making sure he could tell the tale in one go if needed.

"Before that event, Lucina had come to me the day before to give me some things from you. She was dying of nervousness at my imposing demeanor, and we had a little chat over it. When we were done, I went through the papers and found a sketch of me posed with her in battle. I understood it as a gift of some sort and then turned in. During the night, she came to my tent and slept beside me for unknown reasons; with clothes on, of course."

"I hoped you would say that." said Chrom. "Please, go on."

"I only realized she slept with me until morning, when her movements nudged me awake. After some time, she awoke, loudly, from what I believe was a nightmare. I felt bad about seeing her that way, leading to the hug Laurent described to you. She fell back asleep somehow, and that was the end of it." said Robin.

Chrom twiddled his fingers at the story, finding it unlikely that such a thing would ever happen, but knowing that Robin never lied about what he was asked. He let out a sigh as his face began looking much more relaxed.

"Alright...then I suppose it's time to tell you." he said.

"Tell me what?" asked Robin.

"Lucina looks up to you, Robin." said Chrom. "She, more than anyone here, except maybe for myself, believes there's a side of you that wants to come out, but can't. Not only that, but she does think of you during her down moments and likes your company. That last part was a thought I had, which was pretty much verified when you said that she went to you for company that night, rather than me."

Robin's expression turned to surprise. These are all possible signs of attraction for him.

"Chrom, you're not suggesting that Lucina likes me, are you?" asked Robin. "The last thing I need besides another naked Chrom poster shown to me is learning that somebody likes me!"

Chrom's eyes widened. He was just starting to forget about Frederick's little "project", too.

"Naked poster...? Oh it doesn't matter!" said Chrom. "The point is, she cares greatly for you, Robin. And regardless if it's love related or not, I politely ask as her father that you deliver that same care to her. Do you understand?"

Robin folded his arms. "Yes, Chrom, I understand. Let's not make a scandal of this subject. Lucina is under my care from now on...besides yours, of course." he said.

Chrom stood up with a smile and left the tent without another word, leaving Robin to his own thoughts again. He turned around back to his desk and began working again, hopeful that the work could be finished before dusk.

His only company then was his own internal speech nagging him about Lucina.

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><p>Robin sat in his tent, the day having turned to night. He had been tirelessly working for a few hours at this point, reviewing strategies and signing documents. His writing hand might as well have had a mind of its own by now, and his eyes moved faster than an arrow in the air. Robin was, in a few words, completely zoned out, oblivious to everything outside and around him.<p>

And one of the things he ended up being oblivious to...was a curious Lucina peeking inside the tent. She slowly entered, seeing Robin's hand moving at an alarmingly fast speed, as if he had a constant surge of energy to keep himself going.

Lucina wanted him to get some rest. The army needed him in top condition, after all.

"Robin?" she called.

Robin's mind didn't process her voice, still focused on the work in front of him. "Amazing what concentration does..." thought Lucina. "A small nudge..."

She lightly tapped on Robin's shoulder, making him react and snapping him out of his trance. He quickly stood up and turned around to find Lucina, standing behind him with a nervous expression.

"Lucina! Could you just-just NOT do that?" he blurted. "I swear I was going to have a heart atta-"

Without warning, she dragged him in and hugged him. Completely out of nowhere. Robin himself was pretty much silenced by the action, unable to make a response due to the utter confusion. After a few seconds, she let Robin go, still dazed.

"...what was that for?" he asked.

"I thought you'd need it." said Lucina. "You've just been working hard all day."

There was an awkward silence between both of them for a moment. Robin was silent because of his confusion, while Lucina was silent because of her fear over his reaction. Neither dared speak up for a few moments.

"Alright...it seems you didn't like it. I'm so sorry." said Lucina, breaking the silence and subsequently leaving the tent.

Robin snapped out of his state when Lucina said that.

"Wait, Lucina!" he yelled.

It was too late. She'd left the tent, and surprisingly fast, too. He wondered how, but he thought more of his guilt about leaving her with a wrong opinion. He didn't hate that gesture...he sort of liked it. He wanted a bit more of it.

"Robin." called a voice.

A voice came out of nowhere. There wasn't anyone immediately outside the tent nor in the tent, so it left him confused, looking around.

"Robin..."

The voice called again. Robin quickly stood up and pulled the tent flaps to see if anyone called from the outside. There was no one, leaving him still confused.

"Robin!"

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><p>Robin's eyes shot open, looking around frantically. His head was on the desk, and he was drooling a little, but thankfully, not on any papers. He swore that he was standing up in his tent a moment ago. Then it came to him; he was just dreaming.<p>

"Robin? Are you awake?" called the same voice.

Now he recognized it completely. It was Lucina. Lifting his head, he turned to find Lucina standing behind him, apparently concerned. At least he was grateful that what he just witnessed was a dream.

"Y-yes, Lucina? What is it?" he asked.

"Dinner's ready. We've been waiting for you." said Lucina. "You okay? You look exhausted."

"Yeah...I'm fine. I just...dozed off after working." said Robin. "I'll be right there."

"I'll accompany you. Don't want you to be alone." said Lucina.

Robin didn't object to Lucina accompanying him to dinner, and rejecting it would be rude anyway. Getting up from his chair, he walked with Lucina, finally stretching his legs after a few hours of work. The camp was pretty empty, but probably because of the dinner that Lucina mentioned.

When they arrived at the mess tent, there was a moment where everyone stared at them. Nobody expected Lucina to be together with someone, much less with Robin, who usually dined alone. The many attempts to drag Robin out with the rest were futile, but somehow Lucina came in with him, and without a hassle, leaving everyone confused, but not mentioning any of it.

"This is the part where I hate that everyone stares at me." said Robin.

"Just come with me, Robin." said Lucina. "There's always a table for you."

Robin was led by Lucina to a table separate from the rest. Nobody else around, except Chrom's table, which was about three tables away. And dinner was already served.

"You people reserve a table for me?" asked Robin.

"We always did, for the day when you ever decided to join us for once." said Lucina. "And luckily for us, today was that day."

Robin felt flattered at such a gesture, but ignored it and sat down to eat.

Lucina couldn't help but notice during dinner that Robin was awfully quiet. Not that he wasn't usually this quiet normally, but this time around, there was a look on his face that painted an image of discomfort and worry. That, and he was eating rather slowly.

"Robin, is something wrong?" asked Lucina. "This isn't the normal you."

"Yes, Lucina, there is. I just...gods, I can't explain it." he said, bringing his hands to his face.

"Robin..." said Lucina, bringing her hand to his face. "You know you're in complete liberty to tell us, right?"

Robin dropped his hands from his face and let out a sigh.

"I'm MISSING something, Lucina. I figured that I have all that I needed; a position in the army, skill, and mental peace. But that last part is gone now. There's a hole I need to fill, but I don't know with what..."

Lucina gazed at Robin as he finished his food. He may had just revealed his own personal weakness, but even then it was still not that specific.

"I'm sure you'll find it, Robin. It can't be any worse than any of the battles we have at hand. I suppose you'll be going to sleep now that you've finished?" said Lucina.

"Yes." said Robin, standing up. "Really no reason for me to stay here. Good night, Lucina."

Robin gave her a light kiss on the cheek and moved out of the mess tent. What he didn't count on was nearly everyone watching as he did so. After everyone stared at him as he left, the attention turned to Lucina, now with a noticeable blush on her face. Robin was certainly not the kind of person to do something like that, so it happening spontaneously was nothing short of baffling.

"Hey, looks like someone likes my big sis!" yelled Cynthia from afar, jokingly. "Why didn't ya tell us sooner?"

"He doesn't love me, Cynthia." said Lucina, with an uncertain tone. "Although I can't fathom why Robin, of all people, would do that..."

Trying to understand Robin was like trying to understand a religion without practicing it. The confusion got to everybody.

But Lucina was sure that she was getting closer.

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><p><strong>End Chapter Notes: Buildup isn't exactly easy here, but I'm getting there. You'll see the softer side soon enough. ;)<strong>

**See you next chapter.**


	3. A

**A/N: I'm actually rather surprised that the direction I'm taking with this Robin is being well-received. Anyway, the stoic personality will pretty much vanish this chapter. Read on to see how!**

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><p>Regardless of how neutral the two were with it, a lot of the Shepherds began noticing a bond between Robin and Lucina. Whether it be their efficient teamwork in battle, or Robin being noticeably less stoic around Lucina, a bond was beginning to bloom. Such a bond would be truly tested this day.<p>

For once, Robin wasn't heavily burdened with work, so he took to the barracks at noon to train in swordplay. Having a Levin Sword was nice and all, but mastering swordplay would dramatically increase his odds of survival in an emergency; such as a tome becoming useless or the Levin Sword losing charge. And there was no detriment to training either due to the training dummies that were there for him to wail on.

"Robin?" called a voice.

Robin laid down his sword and turned around to find Chrom approaching. In his mind, Robin groaned, given that Chrom had said that there wasn't any work left for him to do, though he'd take any necessary tasks immediately to get them over with either way.

"What is it, Chrom?" asked Robin.

"There's something you have to see." he said.

"Enemy forces? A miracle? What is it, Chrom?"

"It's...your tent." said Chrom, nervous.

Robin's face began to look irritated.

"Were you in my tent, Chrom?" he asked.

"No...but someone else was...and I can't put into words what they left for you." he said.

Robin dropped his sword in surprise.

"WHAT?!" he yelled.

"I-uh, should have told you sooner, Robin..." said Chrom. "But it's not bad-"

"Forget that, Chrom, it's MY tent! Nobody leaves stuff in MY tent without permission!" yelled Robin.

Robin began running like mad towards his tent, leaving Chrom looking upon.

"This will not end well." Chrom said to himself.

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><p>Arriving at his tent, Robin stopped to catch his breath. He hadn't run like that in...forever. He also took the time to wonder what exactly was done. Was there disorder? Some hidden trap? And of course, once he found out who did it...<p>

With no second thoughts, Robin opened the tent flaps. And his jaw dropped in awe.

There was, of all things, a bouquet of flowers on his desk, with the same sketch from a week and a half ago sitting underneath them. Robin couldn't control his blushing at this point, given that he had and idea of who did it.

"No...you're kidding...YOU'RE KIDDING." he thought to himself. "Could it be..."

"Did you SEE his face? It was super funny!" said a near voice in between laughs.

"Yeah, I did, and while it was funny, it may have very well been a very terrible idea." said a second one.

Robin immediately had a change of targets. That was Cynthia and Nah talking. His other immediate thoughts vanished in an instant.

"Oh, Cynthia..." said Robin to himself. "I'm going to flat out stab you with a fork if it stops you from doing this again."

Robin slowly exited the tent and quietly went to the source of the chatter, which was behind his tent.

"You think he heard us?" said Cynthia.

"Is your hair blue, Cynthia?" asked Nah.

"Um...yes?"

"Then he heard us." said Nah. "And I am not taking any of the blame."

"And you won't, Nah." said Robin. "You're far too serious and respectful to even consider a suspect. Well...aside from your antics with Laurent, but you get the gist."

Robin had appeared from behind their backs. Both girls turned in utter surprise, not familiar to Robin's unknown gift of random unexpected appearances.

"Hey! Where'd you come from?" asked Cynthia.

Robin chuckled.

"I literally came from behind you, ladies." said Robin. "Now tell me, Cynthia..."

Robin walked towards Cynthia, staring her down. She grew increasingly nervous as Robin drew closer.

"...what made you think it was a good idea to stick a bouquet of flowers on my desk in such a way?"

"The-the idea wasn't mine, Robin, no sir!" said Cynthia. "Someone else asked me to do it!"

"Then give me a reason to divert the blame from you, and tell me who it was." said Robin. "And if you lie to me..."

Robin's glare came pretty damn close to breaking Cynthia. She didn't want to play this game anymore, immediately regretting putting the bouquet there to begin with.

"Okay, okay, it was Lucina! It was Lucina! She asked me to! I'm sorry!" yelled Cynthia, completely dropping the joking attitude.

Robin raised an eyebrow in surprise. While a joke, much less an intentional prank, was very far down on the list of things Lucina would do, he also knew that she felt close to him. Still worth a check, as he could be entirely wrong.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Cynthia." said Robin, walking away. "I'm going to have a small chat with your sister."

Cynthia was left there with Nah, who could only look on with a deadpan expression.

"Oh, Cynthia. Look what you've got your poor sister into." she said. "If I were you, I'd brace myself for the punishment he'll dole to you."

"You're not making things better, Nah. I hope I haven't caused anything bad..."

* * *

><p>Lucina, slightly bored from the lack of work that day, laid on her bed, in idle thought, zoned out. The thoughts of the future and her mission were now overridden by thoughts of Robin. She wasn't the only one to notice that he'd changed, but she was certainly the first, given how much she was around him. Lucina began experiencing a different type of feeling around him now. Not a sense of partnership or friendship...something else. She wanted to talk to him about it, nervous as it made her.<p>

"Lucina?" called Robin. "Can I come in?"

Lucina snapped back to reality when she heard the call. Robin was never the one to begin a conversation, so why now?

"Come in, Robin." she said.

Robin came in to find Lucina sitting on her bed, looking calm, which was all the better for him. Sitting down next to her, he began to talk.

"Lucina...what I'm going to ask may be a bit...sensitive to you." he said.

"Please, go ahead. I trust you." said Lucina.

She trusted him. Such news made him all the more comfortable with asking her about the prank. Robin let out a breath and began.

"I've been told that the bouquet prank in my tent was your idea, Lucina. Any truth to that?" he asked.

Lucina became surprised. "B-bouquet prank?" she asked.

"Yes."

Lucina let out a groan and put her hands on her face, almost shamefully. A few tears slipped down her face as well.

"Naga have mercy." she whispered.

"Is there something I'm missing, Lucina?" asked Robin.

Lucina removed her hands from her face and looked at Robin. To her surprise, he didn't even look mad. In fact, he looked pretty concerned for her, and calm...though usually, he was calm even when he was mad, but at least in that situation one could spot the anger.

"I'm...I'm so sorry, Robin. It's true that I suggested it to Cynthia, but as a one-off joke. I didn't mean it seriously and told her to forget about it. And to no surprise, she didn't." said Lucina.

All Robin did was tilt his head slightly at the statement. Lucina, despite having the feeling that Robin wasn't mad, still couldn't bear to look at him in the eyes out of fear of angering him.

Robin could never bear to see anyone sad, and a particularly soft spot had grown to him in the form of Lucina. And contrary to what she thought, Robin was not mad in the slightest.

"Lucina. Look at me." said Robin, caressing her cheek and cleaning the tears.

Lucina reluctantly looked back at Robin, noticing that his expression still hadn't changed to anger. In fact, there was a small smile there.

"I'm not mad, Lucina." he said.

Lucina became surprised. She swore that he was hiding some anger there, but the comment sounded completely sincere.

"You...you aren't?" she asked.

Robin let out a small laugh.

"No, as a matter of fact. It would have been even funnier if it had actually been you and not Cynthia who pranked me, since it's just so out of character for someone like yourself. But be at ease, Lucina, I'm not mad at all. Rather, I'm pleased to know that you're still the honest woman you've always been."

Lucina's frown turned to a smile, if still teary, and hugged Robin without a second thought.

"Thank you." she said.

Robin didn't respond. The act of her hugging him brought back the memory of that dream some time ago, where Lucina did the exact same thing, in that case, to give him a sense of comfort after working himself to death. Ironically, now that it actually happened, it happened in a completely different context; him comforting her as opposed to her comforting him in a dream.

"I couldn't be mad at you over such a simple joke, Lucina." said Robin. "Admittedly, I'd be a little embarrassed and nervous, but that's it."

"But you hate jokes, Robin." said Lucina. "Why would this one get a pass?"

Robin let out another small laugh.

"Well, this is going to sound stupid, but it's making me...feel alive again. I feel the emptiness inside of me closing. Just because it's about you."

Lucina looked at him in shock.

"Because it's about me?" she asked.

"Yes." said Robin. "I very much enjoy our time together. It's given me a newfound happiness that I can't describe. And I like that feeling."

Lucina began lightly blushing. When Robin caught wind of this, he felt it right to not make the situation bigger...yet.

"I uh..., have to attend to some things, Lucina." said Robin. "I'll be seeing you around."

Robin stood up and left the tent, hiding his own blush from Lucina just as he turned around.

Lucina was left in the tent, to her own thoughts, Robin had just exposed his soft side in its entirety: her. He truly cared for her at this point. Now, it was a question of how deep it went.

"Lucina, you around?" asked a second voice.

Chrom was there.

"I'm here, Father. Is there something you need?"

Chrom entered the tent to find his daughter with a smile and reddened cheeks. Such a sight intrigued Chrom greatly.

"Lucina. I don't suppose you wanted that second sparring round you challenged me to right now?" he asked.

"Yes, Father...but I have a question, first, unrelated to the dare." said Lucina.

"And that is?"

Lucina took a breath, trying to relax.

"How do you...confess to someone, Father?"

"Confess?" asked Chrom. "Confess about what?"

Lucina stopped for a few seconds. She was about to make a bold statement to her father, and wanted to get the point across as clearly as possible.

"Love, Father. I'm in love with Robin. I need to know how to approach him with it, because I suspect the feeling is mutual."

Chrom stared blankly at Lucina. He couldn't believe it, thinking that Robin, of all people, who had complained about the idea, was now experiencing it. A complete surprise.

"I'll tell you, Lucina. Because if you want to be with him and vice-versa, I'll respect your decision. I only want you to be happy, after all." he said.

Lucina hugged her father, grateful that she had his approval. Now all she needed was to see what Robin thought.

* * *

><p><strong>End Chapter Notes: Well, I'm sure that you know how it ends. But as with all original takes on a support, there's always a difference. Stay tuned for the finale!<strong>


	4. S

**A/N: Ah, the end of the road. Watch as the feelings are finally embraced. Let's save my personal thoughts until the end, and get to the good stuff!**

* * *

><p>Lucina knew that she had to confess soon. After last night, she didn't want to delay it any longer, since she now had a very good idea of what Robin was missing. He said that the hole he had was being filled again, but Lucina believed it needed something more. Moreover, his demeanor around her was something shared with nobody else. She just wanted to know if he loved her at this point.<p>

The thought was among the first that emerged in Lucina's mind as she woke up one morning. She didn't think of sleeping anymore. All she thought of now was admitting it. And she felt quite secure doing it, since they mutally trusted each other.

"I have to do it now...it'll only get harder if I delay it." she said to herself.

Getting up, Lucina made a beeline for Robin's tent, with one goal in mind: confession. At the same time, though, she didn't want anyone else to see what she was in the dark, presumably a sentiment shared by Robin, this warranting her complete silence as she walked towards his tent.

Standing in front of it, she began experiencing a few, unseen signs of nervousness. She began to tremble and felt her heartbeat speed up. Of course, braving one's fear was the next step to success in anything.

"Okay...let's not waste any time." she said to herself. "I'm doing this now and I'm doing it without hesitation."

Taking a deep breath, she pulled the tent flaps open.

To her complete surprise, Robin was gone. No trace of him anywhere in the tent, but his bed was done and any clothes on the ground put in appropriate places. On his desk, there was a small note. Curious, Lucina picked it up and read it.

"To any visitor: went to see a merchant an hour's walk from here. Will return soon."

Lucina scratched her head. "Why would Robin go out to see a merchant...and at this hour?" she asked herself. Disappointed, she left the note back on his desk and walked out. The waiting game was going to eat at her soul this morning, it seemed...but she had to toughen it out. For him.

* * *

><p>Robin was walking across the dark fields, dressed in a thicker version of his robes to keep him warm, in the direction of a traveling merchant that he knew was around. He needed a few weapons, on his own gold, of course. He hadn't traded with any merchants before, but from his inquiries with Anna, they usually had good stock.<p>

After a little more while, Robin spotted a tent in the distance. Surely this was the tent where the merchant was. He made a beeline towards it.

The merchant was busy tending to her own belongings and counting funds, not noticing the tactician closing in on her domain.

"Hail, merchant!" said Robin. "I come seeking trades!"

The merchant, not paying attention, was cautious off guard by Robin's unexpected presence and was a bit spooked.

"Ah! Hail, traveler. You scared me a bit there, you know." she said.

"My apologies." said Robin. "What's in stock?"

"Ah, a buyer, are we? Come over here and have a look at my inventory..."

The merchant went to a nearby chest and opened it, Robin behind her. A large selection of weapons laid before them.

"Take your time." said the merchant.

Robin began looking through the goods, hoping that he'd find anything of use to him.

"Let's see...a Levin Sword! I'll be taking this." said Robin. "And a full Thoron tome as well...Anna wasn't lying about the good stock, indeed. I find myself in urgent need of an Arcfire, too. This will be all, m'am."

Robin laid the weapon and tomes on the ground, then pulling out a bullion, handing it over to the merchant.

"Wonderful! Enjoy your goods." she said.

"Thank you." said Robin, pocketing his bought goods.

The merchant noticed that Robin had a doubtful look on Robin's face, as if he wasn't done.

"Something on your mind?" she asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact." said Robin. "Would you happen to deal in...jewelry?"

A cheeky smile painted the merchant's face.

"Oooh, feeling fashionable, are we?" she asked.

Robin let out a small chuckle. "No, actually. It's for someone else."

"That sounds even better!" said the merchant. "What's the occasion?"

Robin didn't feel like answering that question, but figured that there'd be no harm since it was just a merchant. Unless for some reason they had ties to Anna, there was no way anyone else close to him would know.

"I'm...confessing to someone." said Robin.

The merchant's face turned a tad flirtatious. "Now THAT's a first for me." she said. "I presume you want a ring...here are a few I've collected."

She went over to a second chest, opened it and pulled out a small bag.

"Look in here." she said. "You might find one you like."

Robin took the bag from her hand, looking inside. There were about five rings in the bag, and Robin took the time to examine each and every one. The first one was a bit dull, the second one was plain, the third had a scratch, and the fourth was a tad small.

Robin began getting nervous. He hoped that the fifth ring was of better quality as he pulled it out. To his surprise, it looked perfect. It was a signet ring with a simple design. No damage, either. A smile dawned upon him as he looked at it. This would be perfect for his proposal.

"This one." he said. "I like this one."

"A wise choice." said the merchant. "If you'd throw in a little more gold, please!"

Robin pulled out a smaller bullion, handing it to her.

"Ah, perfect. I suppose you're satisfied now?" she asked.

"Yes." said Robin. "I finished all of my shopping in one go. My thanks, merchant."

"Come again!" she said.

Robin turned and left, putting the signet ring in his pocket as he went. He wanted to confess to Lucina as quickly as possible, and before starting the day. Dawn couldn't be far at this point.

* * *

><p>Nobody was awake, still, except for Lucina, who was in her tent, trying to sleep so that she could pass the time. But as much as she tried, she couldn't manage to. The thought of Robin kept invading her mind at every opportunity.<p>

"Maybe I'll just have a quick peek in his tent...if only to make time go faster." she said to herself.

Lucina stood up and went back to Robin's tent, still in her nightgown. Nobody was awake to witness her, making it all the safer.

Arriving at Robin's tent, she looked around in the darkness. One thing she could make out was Robin's main tactician robe, folded in the same place as before. Why he didn't take it with him wherever he went was anyone's guess.

"Wonder how it fits me." thought Lucina as she grabbed it.

Given that her nightgown was rather thin, she simply put Robin's robes over it. It felt kind of heavy to her, if only because Lucina was used to her Hero King-inspired wear. The robes also felt quite loose, but Robin's size far outdid Lucina's, so it made sense.

Completely dressed in the robes, Lucina felt a bit goofy. As awkward as it felt to be in Robin's robes, it also seemed funny to her.

"I read books to cast attacks at enemies!" she said, imitating Robin. "I shoot fire from my hands!"

Lucina began playing around with gestures and spell names while wearing the robes, having some legitimate fun for once. Sure, it happened at Robin's expense, but it wasn't harmful in any way.

"Heh. I've never felt this happy in some time...a real sense of fun." she said to herself.

"...Lucina? asked a voice.

Startled, Lucina turned around to see a confused Robin, staring at her.

"Um...hi, Robin..." said Lucina, nervously, expecting Robin to be mad.

Robin stared blankly for a few seconds, but then let out a smile and subsequently a small fit of laughter.

"Hahaha!" said Robin. "This...this is hilarious." he said, trying to contain his laughter...and failing. A huge grin came upon his face every time he looked at Lucina in his robes. It just looked incredibly funny to him.

"Uh...you're good?" said Lucina.

"I'm fine, Lucina. I realize you must have been curious, maybe bored." said Robin.

"I...was just looking for you, but you weren't here." said Robin.

A tender smile formed on Robin's face.

"And I've been looking for you too, Lucina." said Robin.

Robin stuck his hand in his pocket and took it out, clenched in a fist. Without a second thought, he kneeled in front of Lucina and opened his fist to reveal the ring he bought.

Lucina blushed hard.

"...Robin?" she asked.

"I can't hide it anymore, Lucina. I love you. I realize now, that this was the one void that needed filling inside of me. Will you grant me the honor of being your husband? To be my loving partner for life? Marry me?" said Robin, now blushing as well.

Lucina was both shocked and excited by Robin's comment, given that she wanted to confess first. A few tears of happiness flowed down her face.

"I'm quite glad you confessed first, Robin...because I love you too." she said.

"I had the idea." said Robin. "So will you marry me?"

"Yes!" said Lucina, embracing Robin, now on two legs.

Robin couldn't believe it. The one person that broke his stoicism was the last person he expected. And from such a simple inquiry about Lucina's vision of him stemmed something wonderful...just as he thought.

* * *

><p><strong>End Chapter Notes: I had a lot of fun writing this, even if I was stopped at times. There's just a lot of fun to be had when experimenting, this time with the pairing I enjoy the most with personality tweaks. Judging by your comments, it seems that this reinvention of Robin is quite interesting. Maybe I should do more stuff with him.<strong>

**See you next story!**


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